MlondaCam: Designing Context-Aware Smart Cameras for Supporting Domestic Security and Privacy in Malawian Homes

Domestic insecurity remains a pressing concern in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where limited policing leaves households vulnerable. While smart cameras could potentially reduce burglary, they risk exacerbating household surveillance and patriarchal norms. In this paper, we present MlondaCam, a context-aware camera whose design was shaped by participants’ recommendations from prior studies in Malawi. Unlike conventional smart cameras, MlondaCam disables itself when placed indoors, mitigating risks of patriarchal misuse while remaining active outdoors. We deployed the system in 15 households in Lilongwe, Malawi, over four weeks. We used semi-structured interviews, diaries, and observations to collect data from participants. Our findings suggest that participants appropriated cameras in situated ways—from deterring theft to protecting food crops—while negotiating household hierarchies, gender-powered relations, and infrastructural limitations. We contribute empirical insights into how families in marginalized contexts navigate domestic security–privacy tensions and introduce design considerations for context-aware camera technologies.